But in the year and a half since then, life has gotten in the way. I was unemployed for 14 months (thankfully I now have a job, at least for the next year). And now we have to move.

Travel just isn’t in the cards for me again just yet.

For someone who loves to travel, this has felt like a set back at times.

Have you ever been held back from travelling? Did you find a creative way to scratch the travel itch?

Here’s what I’m doing about it…

This is Just Temporary

My mom gave me some simple words of advice many years back, and it was this: “Nothing lasts forever.” So if you too find yourself in lean times at the moment, know that this is just how things are today, but tomorrow they may be completely different. Nothing lasts, and almost everyone has them at some point in their lives. Look forward to a better future!

Read

I’m telling you – pick up a book set in another country (and preferably a country you’ve never been to) and be transported. You will learn some interesting things about the culture, food and lifestyle of some faraway land, that may just inspire you to add visiting that destination to your bucket list. Reading 1,000 Days in Venice planted within me a desire to return to that crazy city, but in the off-season time, when it is much less crowded.

Plan

Okay, so you can’t travel today. Or even in the foreseeable future. Where do you want to go once the clouds clear and your world gets brighter? Start listing your dream destinations. Law of attraction and all that states that like attracts like; what you think about you will attract more of. Think like a traveller and start planning.

Become a Local Tourist

I have lived in and around Toronto all of my life but had only visited the CN Tower once until my past birthday in October, when I decided to celebrate the day by walking along the Edgewalk. Call me crazy, but it was exhilarating and frightening, all at the same time. Become a local tourist and visit parts of your city you keep “meaning to visit” or haven’t had the time to get to in a while. Make the time, get out and explore, try new restaurants, take some cool photos and comb every inch of your city. And then share you photos on Instagram or wherever you’re hanging out online these days. Sometimes we are so close to a place, we don’t realize how cool it really is.

That’s a Wrap

So that’s it for me. I realize this stage is temporary. I’m currently finishing up 1,000 Days in Tuscany (written by the same author as the title mentioned above). I’m thinking about where I want to visit next (Holbox, Mexico and pretty much all of Ireland). And I’m committing to getting out into the many lovely Toronto neighbourhoods. Follow me on Instagram to see the photos that come out of my local travels!